Knockdown crate.



No. 874,996;V v PATBN'IED DBG. 31, 1907.

I. 1. SCHOBPPL.

KNOGKDOWN CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED 001122,1906. v I

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I I* 611mm@ PATENTED DEC. 3l, 1'907...

J; F. SGHOEPPL.

. -KNOCKDOWN CRATE. AEPLIUATIoN FILED 06122. 190e.

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JOSEPH FRANCIS SOHOEPIL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

KNOCKDOWN CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1907'.

Application filed October 22| 1906- Serial N0. 340,062.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH FRANCIS SoHoEPrL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Knocked- Down Crates; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the Same.

This invention relates to improvements in crates, and more particularlyto crates for receiving and holding bottles and the like slightlyseparated.

The invention comprises the production of a suitable box, partitioningmeans positioned in said box, and means for firmly supporting saidpartition in place.

The object in view is the production of a box o f comparatively lightweight and yet of considerable strength that is adapted to re` ceivebottles and the like and hold the same firmly in position and slightlyseparated from each other.

Another object in view is the production of a crate having a pluralityof partitions positioned therein and means for holding said partitionsfirmly in position.

With these and other objects in view the invention comprises certainnovel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will behereinafter more fully described and claimed. y

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crateembodying the features of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of a crate formed according to the present invention, one sideof the crate being removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section of Fig. 2on line 3-3, Fig. 4 is a detail, perspective view of one of the bracin'gmembers forming a part of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a bracingmember used in connection with the bracing member shown in Fig. 4 andforming a part of the present invention,- Fig. 6 is 1 an enlarged,detail, perspective view of the end of one of the wires used in the wiregrating forming a part of the present invention. Fig. 7 is a detail,fragmentary end elevation of the partition and surrounding mechanismforming a part of the present invention, the same being a modificationthereof. Fig. 8 is a top plan vieW of a 4slightly modified form of wiregrating forming'a part of the present invention. Fig. 9 is an enlarged,detail, perspective view of a corner fastening of the grating used inFig. 8.

In the construction of a crate according to the present invention Iprovide a suitable box 1, having sides 2 2 and ends 3 3. Formed in thesides and ends of the box 1 are a plurality of slots, as 4 and 5, Whichare made of such a size as to firmly impinge against or grasp the endsof the wires of the grating to be hereinafter more fully described. Itwill be observed that the slots 4 and 5 are made entirely around thebox, but this is not absolutely necessary as the slots may be only longenough to accommodate the wires that are adapted to be inserted therein.In the manufacture of a crate according to the present invention it ismore desirable to make the slots entirely around the box as the same maybe done somewhat cheaper than if they fall short of going entirelyaround the box. Positioned within the grooves 4 and 5 are wire nettingsor gratings 6 and 7. The wire nettings or gratings 6r and 7 arepreferably made from corrugated wire, the corrugations being adapted tostiii'en the same. The wire used in the formation of the grating may bemade of comparatively small wires as the rating is firmly held inoperative position y the ends and sides of the grating resting in theslots 4'and 5 and by being supported centrally by a supporting member,as 8. The grating is woven in the usual manner of gratings, and has theends of the various wires that form the wire 9 bent, as at 10. The end10 is simply bent slightly over and substantially at a right angle tothe balance of the wire 9 in order to form an end that will not pullthrough the hook 11 formed on the end of the wires 12. In this way theends are so arranged as not to pull out of the hook 11- and yet thelabor for bending the same into a hook is not required, but an equallystrong joining is secured.

Supporting the gratings 6 and 7 preferably centrally thereof is asupport 8 which is made in parts, as 13 and 14. The part 13 is made witha tongue or ridge 15 and has formed therein at proper intervals openingsor recessed portions 16 for accommodating the wires of the grating 7. Inthe manufacture of crates according to the present invention it ispreferable to leave out the central wire and to place the member 13centrally of the box and allow the wires to rest ed to inclose thetongue or ridge 15.

in the grooves 16, as clearly seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Anotched-out portion, as 17 17 is formed on each end of the member 13 inwhich iits the wires 9 9 on opposite sides of the box. The wires 9 9that are located on the ends of the grating are adapted to fit withinthe grooves 4 and 5 respectively. Formed in the sides 2 2 of the box 1are grooves l8 18 into which lit the ends of the member 13. As will beclearly seen from Fig. 3 of the drawings, the ends of the member 13 isadapted to fit in the slots 18 18 but the tongue 15 and part of the bodyportion of the member 13 simply comes substantially flush with the innersurface of the sides 2 2. The wires 9 9 lying within the slot or groove5 is thus firmly held in place by having the shouldered portions 17 17positioned flush with the sides of the box. This will elfectuallyprevent any accidental displacement of the wires 9 9, and will at alltimes firmly hold the wires 9 9 and conneeting wires in proper shape.The remaining wires that run in the same direction as the wires 9 9 areadapted to fit in the various grooves or slots 16 and are supportedtherein.

Mounted above member 13 is another member 14 which is made exactly likethe member 13 with the exception that instead of being provided with aridge as 15 it is pro vided with a slot or groove 19 which is adapt- Bythus providing a tongue upon the member 13 and a groove upon the member14, the me1n ber 14 is irmly held in position above the member 13 and inturn firmly holds the up per grating 6 in position. The various wires iof the upper grate 6 running parallel with the wires 9 9 are adapted torest within the notches 2O in the same manner to the wires resting inthe notches 16. By providing a support, as 8,'formed of a pluralityofparts, the gratings 6 and 7 are easily placed in position, but areiirmly held in position when so assembled. The member 3 also forms astrong firm support for the central portion of the gratings and thegrooves or ways 4 and 5 form strong end and side supports.

ln certain instances it has been found desirable to place the lowermember 1.3 of the partition 8 in a groove, as 21, as clearly seen inFig. 4 of the drawings. This groove is used to assist in preventing anyaccidental displacement laterally of the member 13. .ln the preferredconstruction, nails or other securing means are passed through thebottom boards 22 of the box and upward into the member 13.

In referring more particularly to Fig. 8 of the drawings it will beobserved that in that modification of the present invention a slightlydifferently constructed grating is provided. The grating 23, as shown inFigs. 3 and 9, is made from flat strips of erases metal and is twistedat the point of crossing as at 24, for 'firmly holding the variousstrips in position. The parts 25 of the grating 23 are positionedvertically and are adapted to thus form a stronger grating than if thestrips were all positioned horizontally as at 24. By using this form ofgrating the size of the box is lessened in comparison to thc size of thebox when using theround wire, by reason of the thinness of the stripswhich take up less space than the round wire. ln connection with thetwisting and crossing of the strips 23 it will be noted that in placingbottles andthe like in the openings between the strips that the bentportions will not in the least interfere with placing a bottle in saidspace, the bent portion 24 only partially filling the corner of the openings in which the bottles are adapted to be placed. The outer cornersolI the grating 23 is secured together preferably by having the strips23 bent into a hook, as 26, and the strip 27 running at substantially aright angle to the strips 23, is also adapted to have a hook portion 28that is adapted to engage the hook 26, as clearly seen in Fig. 9 of thedrawings. The hook portion 23 is made very short and is bent down uponthe strip 27 until it is in contact therewith, thus forming an obstacleor lug that firmly en gages the hook 26. This will 'firmly keep the endsof the wires or strips 23 and 27 from becoming loose or displaced. ltwill also be noted that when using the forni ol' grating 23 that theslots or grooves 4 and 5 may be made considerably smaller than in thepreferred construction, as the saine need only to be made sufficientlywide for accon'nnodating the hooks 26 and 23. `ln connection with theniodilied forming of grating 23, l usually use the support 3 but l ndthat it is not always necessary. ln some instances,l find it preferableto forni a crate without the use of the suppor 3 when using the grating23, as the same is made of flat strips of metal so bent as to stronglyresist pressure. ln the manufacture of small crates it is especiallydesirable to leave out the partition 8 so as to lighten the weight andlessen the size as well as eheapen the manufacture. This may be donewithout destroying the strength olv the box when the modified form ofgrating 23 is used.

Crates :made according to the present invention may be made of any sizeso as to accommodate any number of bottles that may be desired. lnassembling the crate it is preferable to secure together the two endsand one side, place the gratings 6 and 7 in position, and at the sametime place the members 13 and 14 in position and then secure in placethe other side. After the sides and gratings have thus been 'placed intoposition, the bottom boards 2 are lll() llGl secured in position andsecuring means passed therethrough into member 13 of the partition 8.This is the preferred way of assembling the crate, but as it will beevident the crate may be assembled in various other ways as may bedesired. In forming a crate according to the present invention it willbe noted that the same is made extremely strong even with the use ofcomparatively light wires by means of having the ends and sides of thegrating firmly supported and also by having the central portion of thegrating supported. In cases where very large crates are desired, it maybe sometimes desirable to place more than one partition 8 in the box andin that case the various partitions 8 will be distributed atsubstantially equal intervals in the box so as to give a iirm support toall parts of the gratings at all times.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a crate, the combination with aboxing, of a plurality of grates mounted in said boxing, means forsupporting the ends and sides of said grates, and means for supportingthe central portion of said grates said means comprising an upper andlower member formed with notches therein for accommodating the wires ofsaid grating, and a plurality of shouldered portions for iirmly holdingthe sides of said gratings in engagement with the side supports of' saidgratings.

2.'A crate, comprisinga boxing formed with a plurality of groovesextending entirely around the same, a plurality of grooves positionedcentrally of the sides of said boxing and at right anglesto said iirstmentioned grooves, gratings mounted within said grooves, said gratingsbeing formed with side and end members that are designed to rest in saidrst mentioned grooves, said side members being formed with hookedportions for preventing any longitudinal movement thereof, and aplurality of supporting members secured in said second mentioned groovesfor rigidly supporting the central portions of said gratings, one ofsaid supporting members being formed with a tongue and the other of saidseparating members being formed With a groove for holding the saidsupporting members in proper relation to each other, each of saidseparating members being formed with notches for engaging the wires ofsaid gratings for preventing any lateral movement thereof, andshouldered portions on each of said separating members and engaging saidside members for holding the same in some of said first mentionedgrooves;

3. A crate comprising a housing formed with a plurality of horizontalgrooves and a vertical groove on each side of said housing, gratingmounted in said horizontal grooves and supporting members mounted insaid vertical grooves for supporting and holding in position saidgrating, said supporting members comprising a plurality of membersformed with notches and shoulders, said notches being designed to engagethe central wires of said grating and said shoulders being designedtoaccommodate the side wires of said grating whereby the said 4side wireswill be confined in said horizontal grooves.`

In testimony whereof I a'lix my'signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH FRANCIS SCHOEPPL. Vitnesses:

JOHNL. FLETCHER, A. L. KITCI-IIN.

